Look around, creativity is everywhere

A habit many graphic designers share is that they are fascinated by their surroundings, like a kid first see a butterfly, attracted by a black box that has moving pictures and walls where they can see their own faces. You know what I am talking about? We have all been there. The question is: How do you keep yourself fascinated by what many people call crap or junk?

I see it this way, creativity is everywhere when you start to appreciate the ideas or effort behind it. It might be a very silly little idea but which ideas doesn’t start small? Who knows maybe that one silly idea can inspire you to think of a bigger idea, then an amazing idea… then a super amazing idea!

I guess what I am trying to say is, don’t stop looking for inspiration if you want to be good. look at it, think about it, then apply it elsewhere.

Words means more than fancy graphics

In this modern society we are living in, our daily life is bombarded with advertisement, products and brands. Designers are trying hard to draw our attention, by fancy illustrations, impact photography, or clever visuals. But we rarely strip back to the basic principle of advertising, the message. Isn’t the most crucial part of a poster or a commercial the message? If people don’t get the idea behind it, all the fancy packaging is only a waste of time.

Sometime a line of great copywritting is all we need, cut the bullshit and get to the point. I don’t care how good looking the model is on the poster, don’t care how pretty the poster look, I just want to know what you are trying to tell me, that’s all.

Here is two simple advertisement with a simple clear message, without a fuss.

Pretty wall painting

Spend a lovely Saturday in Oxford and exploring this magical city with my camera. It’s magical because Harry Potter is partly filmed here, it is also magical because it is a city full of characters and history.

Walking towards more of the urban side of a little further out from the city centre, you get to see a lovely tapas bar next to the river, moroccan bar with amazing cocktails, shop and cafe with characters instead of those big chain clones. Also where I found these lovely wall painting, as if you are browsing in a gallery. Pretty.

Size matters

Shopping in the city over the weekend and my eyes were drawn to this oversize plug socket. No idea what it means or advertising but the size has definitely caught some attention.

In the modern days, advertiser uses everything they can to draw viewer’s attention. So called guerilla campaigns is a big hit, a little similar to the flash mob concept. It is there when you least expected, and of course, a cleverly constructed message will create a deep image in viewer’s head.

Any idea what this is about?

P.S. Can’t help but think if this wall socket is in my flat there won’t be any space left… maybe I can use it as my bed?

The Kangaroo Hotel in Japan

A friend of mine is going to Japan in a few days and he came across this hotel during his research. So cute yet a lot of information is beautifully illustrated. Is this how the Japanese draw their maps?

I sometimes wonder if infographic is a step too far in recent times. Like this map, is the design more important than accuracy? Or people rather look at beautiful drawing than clear directions?

Information is beautiful #2

Suffering from a man flu and resting on a Monday morning, I have decided to come back to my blog. Since the last time I wrote was like… a decade ago?!

For all Graphic Designers out there, I am pretty sure you have all read or own a book called “Information is Beautiful” or it’s US twin called “The Visual Miscellaneum” by David McCandless. If you haven’t, you should go and get one right this second!

Here is another book I should own and I can’t believe I don’t know about it until this morning (when I am lying in bed feeling crab)! It is called “Visual Aid“. Similar stuff to “Information is beautiful”, but hey, you can never get enough inspiration from one book can you?

Infographic has always been a great way to translate boring datas into colourful and interesting charts, look, I am not talking about those chart from powerpoint or excel. I am talking about real thought out diagrams designed by talented designers. And for a lot of people in the business world, please stop using Powerpoint! It is boring, and totally not engaging. If you have to, at least try and save up to get a mac and install keynote. 1000000000000000000 times better. By the way, if you are not having any transitions between slides, what is the difference to a PDF? At least a PDF would work across platforms?

I think my head is actually spinning and don’t even know what I am trying to say, anyway, I am going to get some rest now.

There you go, get this book!

Giant orange monkey

What would you do if you walk pass a house and a big giant orange monkey is staring at you from the garden?

You take a snap! And there you go, a random picture in your library :p

Information is beautiful when you don’t over do it

1st sec: colourful ad caught my attention

2nd sec: trying to read the information

3rd sec: can’t be bother to read it, next!

Reading the metro this morning and this colourful ad has drawn my attention, well, for no more than 3 sec. The rise of infographic is a bit hit with the design industry at the moment thanks to a book called “information is beautiful”. The book feature different statistics and information, re-tailored using colours, typo, graphic, illustrations and graphs. Which is inspiring and a lot of designers are trying to adopt the styles.

It is great to visualise data but whoever did this ad has gone over his/ her head. It is simply not readable (maybe being a little hash here but if you want to spend more than 2 minutes trying to read this, be my guest). Too much going on, unnecessarily. The only thing it does is to draw my attention for 2 sec. What the ad is about? I still don’t know because I couldn’t be bother reading it.

Yes, information is beautiful, but don’t over do it! Remember the information is still more important!

Sound Matters

When I first watched this video, the production reminds me of Jony Ive’s talk in Apple’s video (you know: white background, nice background music and passionate speech about the product). Great! Let see what this product is about. Then the next thing you hear a massive echo with the speaker (must be filmed in a room), completely killed the visually great production. Not to talk about the content nor the product because I have already decided to switch it off right away.

If you were to create such production maybe you should at least sort the sound out?! I found it rather disturbing to see a great product ruined by a, hmm… let’s say a half finish promo?

In my opinion, a good video should have meaningful content, visually polished with creativity and sound great. I considered this as a poor execution really.

Interesting signs

A strange habit of mine is to snap interesting sign. Isn’t it rather interesting to look at how non-designers or designers take different approach on what they are trying to tell us?

Non-designer would use the most straight forward way to communicate with us, doesn’t matter if the sign is hand drawn, or made up with duck tape, it provide the information right away.

On the other hand, designer likes to trick our mind. It’s telling you one thing on the outside, hiding another message from the inside.

Above picture is a great example, is it just me or it sounds a little dirty? Lol (enter from behind)